


Open Water

by foreverinprinxietyhell



Category: Impractical Jokers
Genre: Comforting, Concerned Boyfriend, Cuddling, Facing Fears, Hawaii, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Overprotective boyfriend, Paradise Lost, fear of sharks, s6ep14, shark punishment, sick!Murr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-10 10:03:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11689362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverinprinxietyhell/pseuds/foreverinprinxietyhell





	Open Water

Filming in Hawaii, the four were ready to try to incorporate some actual vacation time between intervals between shooting for the show. It was their first trip as a couple, so Murr was infamously taking selfies with his long-term boyfriend at every possible moment to document their experiences. Eyes rolling at the insistence of taking several snapshots to make sure at least one clear photo came out, there was no denying how happy being with Joe made the man, for his whole demeanor had changed for the better even when lifelong friends teased endlessly especially when the time came to be punished. 

“Everyone knows that Murray is afraid of heights, it’s probably his number one fear. Second fear is sharks.” Joe started off, giving a knowing smile to his significant other that said he knew another fear was losing what they had.

“No, it’s not happening. It has nothing to do with sharks.”

“I’m afraid so, bub.” 

“Murr goes in the cage, cage goes in the water. No one’s gotten hurt by a shark before.” Q added to pester the one who was mid-panic attack at the very thought of getting in the ocean.

“Didn’t you see the video from two months ago where the great white came through the cage?!”

“They’re not gonna be able to get to you.”

“Bullshit! Their teeth can bite through the metal!”

“Don’t worry, babe, if one of ‘em tries to eat ya I’ll punch them right in their face,” he promised, caring more for his partner’s wellbeing than hiding their months long relationship as the other two were shooed away as he went to give a long, slow kiss of encouragement, “You’ve got this. Just think of them as fish versions of the pups and you’ll be fine.”

“At least Biscotti won’t chew my face off…”

“You’ll be fine, so let’s board the boat!”  

Far out at sea the man in question could not hide distress for much longer, bending over the protective railing a few times to throw up out of terror despite a comforting hand that held his for moral support, hyperventilating when the ship slowed to a stop. 

“We won’t let you die, baby boy, you know that.” 

“I can’t do this…”

“Remember when you asked me out the first time? You told me how even though you spent months coming up with the right approach you didn’t believe in yourself. Look at us now.”

“It’s different though.”

“Aside from it not being me, it’s quite the same. You’ve got this, my ferret.”

“That’s not a term of endearment, ya know!”

Chuckling good-naturedly, Joseph pressed his lips to the other in an act to quiet protests long enough to exchange unspoken signs of undying love. Finally parting with dual gasps as lungs were set ablaze, he escorted the older one toward the outstretched ladder encased by a square perimeter of iron halfway submerged in the clear blue stretch of water. 

“That looks sturdy, eh Murray?” Brian asked with mischief in his tone as the cameras came in closer, patting a slightly hunched forward shoulder.

“I’m not getting in there!”

“There’s a whole hoard of sharks, look at ‘em all!”

“You’re not helping, Q!” 

“We may have gone too far…" Joe mused, watching helplessly as his partner began to silently tear up when he reached up to wipe droplets away with the pad of a thumb, “Don’t forget what I said, alright? If anything goes wrong, which it shouldn’t, I’ll be the first one to dive in after you. Does that make you feel a little better?”

“Kinda…”

“C’mon, you gotta go get your passport that we put at the bottom of the cage.” 

“Are you shitting me?!”

“Nope, it’s down there in a treasure chest.” Sal spoke up, a sly smirk spreading across his face as the realization of the whole ordeal sank in.

“I’m staying right here!”

“Better hurry up, Bri and I have dinner reservations.” 

“Jackass, acting like we don’t have plans too.” 

“All the more incentive to get in there.”

Trembling, Murr made an audible gulp as he started to descend into the open space, freezing halfway down when their youngest friend started to talk about how three hundred people got bitten by sharks a year. Attempting to climb back up was an act in vain as three pairs of arms blocked the only escape, he let out a whimper upon finally diving into the water with a loud splash as he began to swim toward the bottom and tried a few unsuccessful times partly due to needing air and the other being the few times when a flash of fangs scared him shitless. 

“No less than ten sharks right now!” Sal greeted him when he resurfaced with flailing limbs.

“Wait until we get on dry land, I’m gonna kick your ass!”

“Good luck with that, buddy.”

“Joey…” 

“You’re doing great, muffin. Almost there, one more push underwater and you’ll reach it this time.”

“It sounds like you’re coaching him through labor.” Q teased, falling silent when baby blue eyes stared into his soul to send a message that meant if he said one word out of line that he’d be pushed overboard without protection from the large fish.

One more try had the treasure chest within his grasp, the weight unnoticed as a beating heart pounded in his constricted chest that stop mid-pump when it suddenly occurred to the man that the boat kept drifting further away, “What the fuck?!” 

“See you later, buddy!” Salvatore called out, waving in farewell as if they would release the cage to drift out to sea entirely.

“Guys, pull me back!”

“We’ll drag you back three miles, you should be fine ‘til then.”

“You’re lucky I changed shorts before coming out here,” Joe mused as he dived into the choppy waves without a second thought, swimming the few feet before lifting over the metal bars to join his boyfriend, “I’m here to hold your hand as promised.”

“You know most attacks happen within two miles of shore.”

“We’re 1.8 miles, so have fun with that little fact.” Brian added, shaking his mane of black curls in a way that said the two of them were insanely bad influences on each other. In certain ways, that notion was completely true for the benefit of both. 

Once back on shore, Murray could not help kneeling down to kiss the sand in gratitude of being on land. When he finally stood erect, a pair of lips sealed over his to swap the fine powdered grains as affection grew into heated passion that was stifled by a sudden jerk to the side as he sneezed into the crook of an arm.

“Aww, are you alright, little coconut?”

“No, big kahuna, I think I’m getting sick.” 

“Poor baby, was the water too cold?” Joe asked in concern as the other clung rather weakly to a well-muscled arm and shivered in a convulsive manner, “Let’s get you to the hotel room, I’ll take care of you.” 

“How does it feel to back, Murr?” Brian asked, arm wrapped around his boyfriend’s shoulder in a protective manner as the younger man cringed at succession of sneezes that followed.

Placing the back of his hand against the other’s forehead for a moment, Joe’s frown deepened with concern for the weakened immune system, “He’s burning up, and I’m taking him to our room.” 

“Do you need help?” 

“I think you two have done enough, but thanks…”

Not meaning to sound so harsh there was a flutter of guilt deep in his gullet until a bout of hoarse coughing came up to steal attention away from such a small annoyance. Scooping up the thinner person, he managed to carry him up two flights of stairs before nudging an unlocked door open with his hip and gently delivering the patient to a welcoming warmth provided by layers of extra blankets. Tucking the linens tightly around a shivering mess of flesh, Joe searched for a thermometer packed into an emergency first aid kit he had insisted on bringing along and placed it delicately under a slightly pale tongue.

“Shit, babe, you’re already up to 103 degrees.”

“I feel like death… Oh god!” Murr groaned out loudly as a hand covered his mouth that filled with bile, releasing it into an offered trashcan as gentle fingers stroked his bent spine. 

“If it’s any consolation, I’d hold back your hair if you had any.”

“Asshole…”

“Is that any way to talk to your loving boyfriend who’s willing to take care of you?”

“No… Sorry baby, I’m not thinking clearly.” 

“Shh, save your strength. Let me get you some medicine, that’ll make you feel a little better.”

“Don’t leave me!”

“I’ll be back,” Joe reassured with a delicate nose nuzzle before lifting his weight from the mattress, “I’ll come cuddle with you as you fall asleep.”

“You’ll catch my germs.”

“A risk I’m willing to take. All that matters is you getting better and if having me here helps then so be it.”

“Why sacrifice your health?”

“As your boyfriend, it’s my job to keep you safe.”

Moved to tears, the older man buried deeper under the cotton confines as he rested on a pile of pillows while waiting for the other to return in due time. Footsteps echoing down the hall in the shell of his ear, Murr perked up when the door creaked open to reveal that he had returned with a wooden tray that held a variety of different contents; a steaming mug caught his curiosity as a sleeve of crackers and a plastic cup filled with pink liquid accompanied the brewed beverage.

“Sit up, babe.” 

“It’s so hard… Help me?” 

“The things I do for love…” Joe huffed in fake annoyance as he set the items aside on a bedside table to help him into an upright position before reclaiming a spot on the bed beside him to hand over the Pepto bismol that was reluctantly accepted with a look of disgust before swallowing it in one swallow, “It’s not so bad.”

“Says the guy who eats practically anything.”

“Point taken, mister grumpy pants. That’s why I brought some tea to go along with it.”

“You’re the best partner ever.”

“Tearing me a new one and then kissing my ass, you must really be ill.” 

“Along with being scared shitless, yes.”

“Well, I guess that means I’ve gotta protect you again, huh?”

“That’s your job isn’t it?”

“Out in open water or on dry land, you bet. I was willing to fight off those sharks for you and I’m willing to get barfed all over.” Joe declared, folding the duvet back as he joined him in the warm depths and pulled him in with a strong arm as the balding head rested on his chest securely, the punishment long forgotten since it had turned out to be an actual win for them both with small repercussions that could be dealt with together.


End file.
